Grymlings

Göran Lagerberg
Born	(1947-09-20) September 20, 1947 Gothenburg, Sweden
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1963–present
Known for	Bass player and co-lead vocalist for Tages, member of Kebnekajse and Grymlings

Göran Bertil Lagerberg (; born 20 September 1947) is a Swedish artist and songwriter, primarily recognized as the bass player and co-lead vocalist for the Swedish rock group Tages and subsequently the progressive rock ensemble Kebnekajse. During the 1990s, he became a member of the supergroup Grymlings alongside Magnus Lindberg, Pugh Rogefeldt, and Mikael Rickfors.

Lagerberg became part of Tages in 1963 when the band was still called Alberts Skiffelgrupp, initially performing on washboard before transitioning to bass guitar as the group shifted from skiffle to beat music. He emerged as an informal leader together with lead singer Tommy Blom. Starting in 1966, Lagerberg was responsible for most of the band's original songs. He remained the sole continuous member until 1970, by which time Tages had evolved into Blond. The band is celebrated as one of Sweden’s premier acts of the 1960s, especially noted for their album Studio (1967).

Following a period working as a session musician, Lagerberg joined the progressive rock band Kebnekajse, contributing to two albums without writing any material. He departed in 1975 to pursue further education. In 1990, he helped establish Grymlings, which enjoyed both commercial success and critical acclaim in Sweden, with all three albums reaching the top twenty on Sverigetopplistan. Additionally, he has collaborated with various Swedish musicians such as Fläsket brinner, Egba, and Feta Heta linjen, and has taken part in several reunions of Tages.

Early life

Göran Bertil Lagerberg was born on 20 September 1947 in Gothenburg, Sweden, to parents Bertil Lagerberg Svensson and Maud Lindell. Demonstrating an early interest in music, he began piano lessons at age six before shifting his focus to guitar. Inspired by the late-1950s skiffle wave in Sweden, he started playing washboard and joined his first band, Limmericks. Subsequently, he played guitar with the Sharks, a group that attracted attention from future members of Tages. Lagerberg attended Gothenburg Läroverk and delayed committing fully to a music career until completing his studies in June 1965.

Tages

At age 15 during the summer of 1963, Lagerberg joined Tages—then known as Albert's Skiffelgrupp—starting on washboard before switching to bass guitar after receiving one as a Christmas present. The band transitioned into a beat group following the addition of drummer Freddie Skantze.

Unlike many Swedish bands at the time, Tages allowed each member to take turns as lead vocalist during performances; Lagerberg frequently sang lead due to his strong vocal ability. His enthusiasm for rhythm and blues and soul music shaped much of their material, drawing from artists like Muddy Waters and Otis Redding. Lagerberg’s vocal prominence played a crucial role when they won the Västkustens Beatles contest, which propelled them to nationwide recognition.

Lagerberg began contributing songs early on; his first credited composition with Tages was "Tell Me You're Mine," featured as the B-side of their debut single "Sleep Little Girl" (1964), which also marked his first recorded vocal performance. He co-wrote later singles such as "I Should Be Glad" and "Don't Turn Your Back," mainly providing harmony vocals before delivering his first solo lead on "Dimples" from their debut album Tages (1965).

In January 1966, Tages recorded two tracks written by Lagerberg: the upbeat "The Man You'll Be Looking For" and the ballad "So Many Girls." The latter climbed to number five on Kvällstoppen and number four on Tio i Topp, representing a stylistic move away from their typical rock sound and challenging Blom’s position as lead vocalist.

Lagerberg’s role expanded with their second album Tages 2 (August 1966), where he sang lead or co-lead vocals on eight out of twelve tracks and made substantial songwriting contributions. Their third album Extra Extra (November 1966) further showcased artistic growth, incorporating baroque pop influences in Lagerberg’s compositions like "Gone Too Far," with his voice featured on half the album.

After signing with Parlophone in 1967, Tages gained increased studio access that facilitated a more relaxed sound. Lagerberg co-wrote "Every Raindrop Means Alot" with Blom and assumed lead vocals for subsequent singles, guiding the band toward psychedelic influences evident on the album Contrast (April 1967). Later that year, Lagerberg introduced Swedish folk elements into their fifth album Studio, which some regard as a Swedish classic comparable to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This artistic direction contributed to Tommy Blom’s exit in August 1968 due to his reduced role amid Lagerberg’s growing influence.

Blond

Following Tommy Blom's exit, the lineup of Lagerberg, Larsson, Töpel, and drummer Lasse Svensson persisted as Tages throughout 1968. With Lagerberg at the forefront, the band aimed for international commercial appeal by adopting a more vocal-centric performance style reminiscent of the Move. This shift diminished Lagerberg’s previous role as lead vocalist, who had solely performed vocals on the last three Tages singles. After their Parlophone contract ended, they partnered with manager Richard Reese-Edwards—known for his work with the Hep Stars—who facilitated a recording agreement with Fontana Records.

Fontana provided a $50,000 advance (approximately $372,707 in 2021), stipulating one album, two singles, and a globally marketable band name. In May 1969, the group rebranded as Blond, a nod to Sweden’s famed blond hair. Earlier that March in London, they had recorded their sixth album under producer Anders Henriksson, completing twelve tracks—nine of which were co-written by Lagerberg, who also performed all lead vocals. Released in autumn 1969 as The Lilac Years, this album is frequently hailed as Lagerberg’s magnum opus.

Just prior to the album’s release, Larsson and Töpel departed due to mandatory military service in Sweden. Their replacements included rhythm guitarist Anders Nordh and lead guitarist Björn Lindér, both featured on the US edition cover of The Lilac Years, issued under the name Blond in November 1969. Nordh soon exited and was succeeded by Anders Töpel’s brother Björn along with keyboardist Mats Landahl. Although they debuted as a five-member band and toured West Germany in 1970, these efforts did not achieve commercial success. The group ultimately dissolved following their final show in August 1970.

1970s and 1980s

Among former Tages members, only Lagerberg maintained an active music career; others transitioned into blue- or white-collar professions. After Blond’s single "I Wake Up And Call" was poorly received, Lagerberg encountered writer’s block and pivoted toward session bass work. He contributed to Claes af Geijerstam's Out of My Hair and Lalla Hansson's Upp Till Ragvaldsträsk, both albums gaining critical acclaim within Sweden. Additionally, he collaborated with studio ensemble Jason's Fleece alongside ABBA session musicians Janne Schaffer and Ola Brunkert, resulting in one LP and two singles.

In 1971, after participating in Doris Svensson's Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby, Lagerberg was invited by Berndt Egerbladh to join his backing band, which evolved into Feta Heta Linjen. This group released a single album titled Med Kisa, Brass & Brudar, featuring Lagerberg’s composition "Mama."

Lagerberg then returned to Swedish folk rock by joining Kebnekajse as bassist. While initially rooted in progressive rock, he influenced Kebnekajse’s sound by incorporating stronger Swedish folk elements. His debut on Kebnekajse II is now regarded as one of Sweden’s finest albums. Though he did not contribute songwriting to Kebnekajse, he appeared on two albums before leaving.

Subsequently, he became part of Egba (Electronic Groove and Beat Academy), a significant Swedish progressive rock ensemble led by Ulf Adåker. Lagerberg’s bass contributions were pivotal on albums like Jungle Jam, Amigos Latinos (1978), and Bryter Upp! (1979). Apart from Tages, Egba represented his longest musical commitment. After nearly two decades of extensive touring left him disenchanted, he departed in 1981 during partial sessions for Omen (1984), with Bruno Råberg stepping in as his replacement.

After settling down, Lagerberg redirected his talents toward composing theatre music at Stockholm’s Pistolteatern in Gamla stan and creating film scores throughout the 1980s, most notably for the Swedish movie S/Y Joy (1989).

Grymlings

In 1990, Lagerberg initiated the formation of the Swedish supergroup Grymlings, bringing together Mikael Rickfors (formerly lead singer of the Hollies), Magnus Lindberg, and Pugh Rogefeldt. The band’s name was inspired by a farm located in Eksta, Gotland, which belonged to Rickfors. What began as an informal meeting soon evolved into recording sessions held at Rickfors' home studio on that farm.

The group's self-titled debut album, Grymlings, was launched in 1990 under Warner Music Group and reached number three on the Swedish Albums Chart, selling around 170,000 copies within Sweden. Tracks such as Rogefeldt's "Mitt bästa för dig" dominated Svensktoppen, maintaining the top position for 14 weeks. Additionally, "Där gullvivan blommar," performed by Rickfors and Rogefeldt, also achieved high rankings.

Their sophomore release, Grymlings II (1992), peaked at number 11 on the album charts. Singles like "En glädjesång" and "Väntar på en vän" enjoyed success on Svensktoppen. This record marked Lagerberg’s initial songwriting input with the band through the track "Lysa". Following a short nationwide tour, the group disbanded.

In 2004, Grymlings reassembled without Rogefeldt, who was succeeded by Mats Ronander. This reunion yielded Grymlings III (2005), which did not enter the charts despite singles such as "Det är något särskilt med dig" and Rickfors' "Moder Svea" reaching Svensktoppen’s top ten. The album faced predominantly unfavorable critiques, culminating in the band’s ultimate dissolution. Lindberg passed away on 26 February 2019.

Later and personal life

Following a brief period working in studio music, Lagerberg pursued studies at Komvux for three years before returning to his musical career. The income generated from Grymlings allowed him to purchase a personal computer, which led him to take courses and subsequently establish himself as an information systems technician. During the 1990s, he served as a network administrator for Scandinavian Airlines prior to rejoining Grymlings. Later on, he briefly fronted a band that performed songs from the Tages and Blond catalogues, occasionally featuring Anders Henriksson and Björn Lindér.

Lagerberg favors composing lyrics in English, referring to it as "the language of rock and roll," though he has crafted notable Swedish-language songs, particularly for Grymlings. One of his early Swedish pieces was "Balladen om killen" ("Ballad about the guy"), written in 1969 during his time with Blond. Despite extensive collaborations and studio contributions over the years, Lagerberg had yet to release a solo album as of 2021.

Acknowledged as one of Sweden’s premier vocalists of the 1960s, Lagerberg was the dominant voice on Tages’ recordings. His vocal approach was shaped by influences such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave. A devoted enthusiast of soul music, he credits musicians like Stanley Clarke, Paul Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Paul McCartney, and John Entwistle as significant inspirations for his bass playing style.